RFI - Attachment 4B - Flora and Fauna Assessment Rev 5

                                                                                 Native Foresters



Koala Conservation Policy 2017

It is noted that the proposed development is subject to the provisions of the State Governments
Supported Infrastructure Koala Conservation Policy 2017. Refer Section 5.2.

Commonwealth Legislation

Australia’s key national environment law is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999, also known as the EPBC Act. This legislation regulates activities that are
likely to have a significant impact on nationally protected matters including Koala and Threatened
Ecological Communities (TEC)..

For impacts to MNES – koala habitat, the self-assessment process outlined in the Significant
impact guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act 1999 (DoE, 2013) has being completed and it is determined that
the any clearing of Koala trees which is less that 2ha is not considered to represent a ‘significant
impact.’

An assessment was undertaken of the potential for the adjoining Paperbark Wetland Vegetation
to fulfill the requirements to be listed as a part of the Threatened Ecological Community Coastal
Swamp Schlerophyll Forest of NSW and SEQ. Following assessment it was determined that
the Paperbark Wetland in the subject site does not meet the criteria for a EPBC Act Threatened
Ecological Community (Coastal Swamp Sclerophyll Forest of NSW and SEQ for the following
reason:

    •    The subject area does not meet the patch condition and threshold criteria within the
         Coastal Swamp Sclerophyll Forest TEC Conservation Advice due to the high level of
         weeds in the groundlayer. While the criteria for dominant species and patch size is met
         (>0.2ha that is contiguous with a large patch) the area has greater than 50% weed cover
         in groundlayer and does not meet the lowest condition class (C2) and as a result is not
         protected under the EPBC criteria.

3.1.9 Wetlands and Watercourses

The quality of natural waters in Queensland (e.g. rivers, creeks, wetlands, lakes, estuaries and
coastal areas and ground waters) is protected under the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy
2009 (EPP Water). The EPP Water achieves the object of the EPA 1994 to protect Queensland's
waters while supporting ecologically sustainable development.

The Map of Referable Wetlands is a statewide regulatory map under the Environmental Protection
Regulation 2008 which identifies wetlands of high ecological significance (HES) and general
ecological significance (GES) across the state. HES wetlands on the Map of Referable Wetlands
are considered ‘matters of state environmental significance’ (MSES) under the Planning and
Environmental Offsets legislation (Environmental Offsets Act 2014).

There are no mapped wetlands of significance in the footprint of proposed works within Lot 77
SP298776. It is noted that the works impact area is mapped as a Palustrine Wetland under the
QLD Wetland Maps mapping system and it is therefore considered that the vegetation is a wetland
for assessment purposes.




Central Drive Sippy Downs – Fauna & Flora Assessment                                       19